by Voxley, Vi
"Everything is clear to me," Stavor said. "The general and I will settle this."
"This is not some duel!" Klaen called. "He must submit himself to the council's will."
Stavor laughed, the sound echoing across the suddenly very silent hall. The warlord turned to the council, letting his eyes take them in. Ryden knew Stavor hated them as much as he did, the lesser men presuming to decide their fate.
"Is that so?" Stavor asked the council. "I wonder if there is anyone here that thinks he will. If there is, I must suggest you give up your seat on this council right now."
Silence answered him, although a few were glowering at him for the insult. Ryden enjoyed the show of the council's guard dog turning against them.
"No, I didn't think so," Stavor said when the moment of silence lingered.
With those words, he stepped down from his podium into the empty area before the council seats. It wasn't ideal as an arena, but it would have to do, Ryden thought, following him.
He took a moment to look at Aria, who was watching him go with quiet dignity, even if she couldn't hide her fear from him. Then Ryden put her firmly to his back, so as not to get distracted in a fight with the man who often killed his enemies months after he'd fought them. The warlord's poisoned sword was already in his hand, ready to find any weakness in his armor.
It wasn't only a fight he had to win, it was a fight where he couldn't allow for a single mistake.
And he had beaten Stavor before. The trouble was, then the commander of the Gray Armada had been under the hive mind's influence. Clumsier, slower, at war with his own mind.
There would be no mercy this time. Ryden drew his spear.
CHAPTER FORTY-SIX
Ryden
Ryden had been downplaying Stavor in his mind, even going as far as to boast, something which he normally didn't do. But the truth was that one didn't become a commander in the Gray Armada by chance. Stavor was deadly, strong, and clever. The hive mind might have been able to play with his head, but Stavor didn't need much strategy to outmatch him.
All he needed was one strike and Ryden would be no good for anything for the rest of his life, if he lived at all.
The Galaya Hall fell into revered silence as he approached his opponent. Stavor was waiting for him, silent and expectant. His gray armor was nearly as thick as Ryden's and he was about his height. Ryden couldn't underestimate him and the sword. The hive mind had been a different enemy, one that required a clear mind and cleverness to beat, but Stavor was pure power. It was a match of skill and speed, nothing more.
A simple fight, Ryden thought, stopping a few feet from the warlord. I've missed those.
Simple in concept, but not in execution.
He met Stavor's eyes for a second, acknowledging his opponent. It was a match of warriors, after all, not a brawl or an unmatched battle. They were equals and took a second to consider that before they gave themselves over to attempting to kill each other.
Stavor charged first, since it was his best chance to hit Ryden with the poison quick and hard. There was a shield in his hand, one that Ryden was familiar with. The Koliar shields were as legendary as the Brion spears, created with the same technology that powered the shields of their ships. It was, to say, unbreakable.
But since it required huge amounts of energy to maintain, it wasn't very large—barely enough to cover Stavor's arm—but it was an obstacle. Every blow Ryden dealt to it, dodging and blocking the sword, was met with a clash that left his hand shivering. To hit the shield with his spear with full strength felt like slamming his fist against a wall.
He wondered what sort of a poison Stavor had chosen for him. Of course no matter what the particular concoction was, it was meant for a Brion. The Koliars were very specific about their weapons, always perfectly aware of their opponent. All their tactics, the different aspects of their weapons, it was designed around their enemies.
At a more peaceful time, Ryden had seen a Koliar armory once. Their preferred weapon combination was their shield and a sword, with a long and sharp blade, but it didn't mean they had nothing else. He'd seen walls upon walls of swords. Long, short, curvy, wide, ones with many blades and those with blades that warped.
He'd been very impressed. Brions would always appreciate warriors who took pride and care with their craft.
For the fight with him, Stavor was wielding a long, incredibly thin blade, but it didn't break even against the battle spear. Ryden didn't have a moment to look closer at such details, but for a second he could have sworn that the weapon was the same material as the shield.
Clever. Very clever. It's a pity our qualities make us better enemies than friends.
That applied to all Brions and Koliars, the tensions between them finally boiling over. Ryden wouldn't have chosen it to end that way, but Stavor didn't leave him another choice. He would have to kill him. And hope that whoever succeeded the warlord would keep his promise to not attack the Conqueror.
Stavor's sword grazed his shoulder guard and Ryden jumped back, bringing the spear up between them, eying the warlord warily. The Koliar looked pleased, a small smile on his lips. It was easier for him; he'd already fought Ryden once. And while it worked both ways, Ryden was hindered by the fact he wasn't really fighting the same man.
Stavor knew it, and was using the knowledge against him. He parried when before he'd dodged in the same situation, time and time again changing up his stance, waiting for his moment. And he was strong.
When Ryden locked them together, sword against the spear, keeping himself firmly away from the blade, he found his strength matched. In the end, they had to push off each other, both stumbling back, two forces equal.
It was an almost impossible task to win the duel without getting wounded. Ryden knew it forced carefulness into his actions, made him slower than he could have been. With the Host, it had helped to throw caution in the wind, but he couldn't allow a single second of distraction with Stavor. The warlord had years of fighting through the galaxy's worst under his belt, just like he did. It made him dangerous, practically a mirror image.
When the sword hit Ryden's shoulder guard for the second time, he realized what the other was trying to do. Stavor was watching him, studying his movements and had chosen to hit the place he most often left unguarded.
The general felt himself grin. It was a pity to kill a warrior like Stavor over a petty issue like that.
He compensated immediately, giving Stavor no more chances to cut the shoulder guard even deeper. Ryden saw the appreciative grin on the warlord's face, signaling he understood he'd been caught.
They were both out of breath now, circling each other, both finding their opponent a bigger challenge than they'd assumed. It delighted Ryden. Come what may, even if he lost, it was a good fight and Stavor was a worthy partner. But they both felt the end coming, worse for him than it was to the Koliar.
The two fighters kicked and wounded and tried to trick the other, but every warrior tired, even the best. There was a breaking point, starting from the moment when one of them felt the cold chill of death approaching from exhaustion, the worst killer in battle. It made a warrior slow, prone to mistakes, but in a fight like that, to make a mistake was to die.
Stavor broke before he did and they entered the death throes together. Around them, Ryden could hear the shocked gasps of the ambassadors. He'd nearly forgotten they were there. It didn't matter anymore until all at once everything snapped into bitter focus.
Stavor's sword became a blur, as did his spear. The weapons clashed together with enough force to leave both their hands numb, threatening to make them drop the blades and bring death in the next second.
They were turning. Stavor was trying to force him to face the council seats, hoping that seeing Aria would distract him, but that wouldn't work. Ryden was fighting for her. He'd never let her become the complication which cost him his life.
He matched every blow of the sword, already sensing the poison in the air. It occurred to him s
uddenly that the world was slowly morphing into something like the visions he'd seen with the hive mind. Had the bastard used a substance that traveled through air? How was that even possible?
Gritting his teeth, Ryden pushed forward, letting the fury take over. Stavor backed away, finally beaten into a retreat. The general showed no mercy. Every blow that he rained down on the shield caused surges of pain to run up his arms until they were sharp pulses in his mind, but every next one loosened Stavor's grip more and more.
It came at the cost of his own body, but Ryden was doing it. He was beating the unbeatable shield by attacking the hand that held it, made of flesh and bone like any other. A man's weapons were only as strong as the man itself and Stavor felt the blows resonate through him as keenly as he did.
Then the shield nearly slipped form Stavor's fingers. The warlord grunted in fury, stabbing out with his sword at once. Realizing he was about to die if he let the shield drop, he made damn sure Ryden risked the sword every time he came close enough.
The cut didn't need to be deep, didn't even need to be anywhere important. Ryden felt the sharp edge go mere inches past his cheek when he took one wrong step and got too close to Stavor's range. The warlord tackled him.
They went down together in a vicious tumble, rolling on the ground. The long battle spear was much more in the way than the sword, and Ryden found himself under Stavor, both of them holding onto the sword handle. The shield and the spear were lying next to them.
The Galaya Hall was roaring, the ambassadors rooting for the side they'd voted for. The tip of the sword was so close to him that Ryden could practically taste the poison.
Over Stavor's shoulder, he saw Aria, standing frozen in the audience, mute with terror. And proving the Koliar wrong. Seeing her didn't distract him; it gave Ryden one more surge of raw power, rolling them over with a hard kick. He saw the flash of understanding and rage in Stavor's eyes a heartbeat before he ripped the sword from his hands as the warlord should have done instead of pushing them down.
He cut right through the Koliar's throat.
The sword was made to poison, to kill slowly, but in the end it was also still a blade. It was quick, as he'd sworn.
When his hands started going numb, Ryden realized he hadn't dropped the sword fast enough.
Stavor was still fighting.
CHAPTER FORTY-SEVEN
Aria
Aria dashed to his side as soon as she saw Ryden drop the sword with a shout.
The general stood, pulling the gloves off his hands and letting them fall to the ground. When she reached him, the general stepped back.
"Stay back, Aria," he growled. "Touch nothing."
She knew about the Koliar sword, she did, but he'd been wearing his armor. How could it affect him? And he hadn't even touched the blade.
"Poisoned blade," Wellack said from his seat. "We had heard of that, but didn't know if they actually pulled it off. It has to be made of some substance that reacts with your armor."
Despite the grunt of pain he gave, Aria found Ryden grinning in the next moment, still looking at his hands, holding them before him.
"Impressive," he said through gritted teeth. "I have to give him credit."
Brions, Aria thought, and my Brion.
Her gerion was wounded. The thought didn't want to register with her. She'd been relieved and overjoyed to see him win. Even Stavor's horrible death hadn't been able to completely diminish her joy, but now... Ryden could be taken from her after all.
"How..." she began. "How do they feel?"
The general gave her a smile, but she saw the pain. If a Brion warrior couldn't completely hide it, the torment had to be insane.
And somehow it ranked as only her second problem. The first was that the Galaya Hall was once again too quiet, all eyes on them. She sensed the same hostility as when she'd stepped in.
Cowards, she thought. All of them.
They wanted Ryden dead, but everyone wanted someone else to say it, to take the rage of the Brions in their stead. She felt her fury rising to surface again, and turned to the council.
"Now what?" she asked. "Do you insist on following up this madness? After you've already let one man die for your wrongful ruling?"
Klaen fixed her in place with a hard look.
"The decision of the council doesn't change," he said. "And there is no ground for you to call it wrongful. The council has voted. You voted as well."
That was true. Aria could have chosen not to vote as a sign of protest, but it would have done as much good as actual voting did. She'd known how it would end, after all.
She was about to say that Ryden couldn't fight anymore, but the general would have held that against her. Once again faced with the chance of losing him, Aria couldn't bear that. How was it that life kept dangling happiness in front of her, only to take it away in the next second?
"We will take this opportunity to decide the fate of the Conqueror," Klaen went on. "The general's execution will wait until then."
Aria felt Ryden tense up by her side. She saw his valor squares thrumming in an irritated, angry rhythm, casting them all in a dark red light.
She couldn't read the valor squares like Brions could, but that message was loud and clear for everyone to see. Several of the ambassadors noticed that too. She heard mumblings that perhaps it was better to leave the issue be. Some even pointed out that the war was, after all, a success.
But the Koliar delegation had just witnessed their commander's death at Ryden's hands and wanted blood. Klaen wasn't about to give up so easily either. Looking around, Aria saw exactly how many enemies the Brions had.
No wonder they think so badly of us, she thought.
"There was a deal," Ryden said coldly. "Between me and Stavor."
Klaen sneered. "Yes, we heard. The deal you had doesn't matter to us, exactly as you didn't care for our decision."
Aria saw the general pick up his spear and the resulting twitch of pain the simple motion brought. And yet no one in the hall moved to engage him. Wounded, poisoned, he managed to terrify them. But they both knew how much danger they were in.
"My crew and my warriors were following my commands," Ryden said.
"Now you want to take responsibility," Klaen shot back. "Go ahead, General. If you submit to the council's will, we will spare the ship."
The growl from Ryden's throat made several ambassadors flee as he took a step forward.
He addressed the Koliar ambassadors in the hall. "You are willing to shoot an unarmed ship, knowing as well as Stavor did that everything that is happening here is a joke?"
To Aria's surprise, the delegation looked hesitant. Their hatred of Ryden was visible, but like their commander, they didn't feel comfortable blowing the Conqueror to pieces.
"No," one of the Koliars said at last. "But we will not let you leave here either, General. Another will challenge you. Until you fall."
For some reason, Aria saw Ryden's eyes flicker to Wellack. The Palian shook his head, but rose from his seat.
"We do not agree to this," the Palian said calmly. "We owe the Brions our gratitude, not this nonsense. The general was right. The next time we need their help, they might not be there to save us. Do you intend to leave all of our harvest worlds without guards? Not to mention there will be revenge if you go through with this. Now is the time to rebuild, not start a new conflict."
It descended into an argument again. Aria watched with growing unease. The guilt she'd felt before was nowhere near what she was experiencing now. A ship the size of the flagship was home to thousands and thousands of people and they were all in danger because of her.
"The Brions are a danger on our doorstep," Klaen was shouting. "Now is our chance to prove we do not tolerate their shows of force like the one we witnessed. The Brions should understand that the laws apply to them as much as they do to all of us. We can't let them do as they please, unchecked."
"And the appropriate answer to that is to kill thousands of Brions?" Wel
lack asked.
Aria noticed that the Brion ambassadors themselves were being relatively quiet. When Ryden saw where she was looking, he grinned viciously.
"They are under orders from the Elders," he explained. "After Rhea, it has been our goal to get along with the Union to prove we are not barbarians. I was ordered to do this right. I don't think they're very happy with the results."
"You saved us, "Aria said sadly and then, very quietly, added, "I can't lose you..."
She felt the general step closer and reach out to touch her, and then remembered the poison still on his hands.
"Aria," Ryden said instead.
She looked up, seeing the general regarding her with gentleness she'd never seen on him before.
"You won't," he said, his deep voice making it sound like an oath. "Nothing will take you away from me, not even death. I won't let it. You will never lose me. Not to this poison, not to this council, not to any fool who thinks to challenge me."
Like so many times before, his words had the almost magical power of convincing her, only this time Aria didn't see a way out.
"Enough," Klaen was saying. "If the Koliars are unwilling to do this council's bidding, I turn to the Fremma. Take aim on the Conqueror."
"No!" Aria screamed. "You can't do that! There wasn't even a vote! This is not the council's decision. It's yours."
But up above their heads, through the Galaya Hall's transparent ceiling, she saw the Fremma fleet turning. The Koliars stayed where they were. Perhaps they wouldn't shoot the Conqueror, but they didn't see a reason to come to its aid either.
Aria turned to Ryden, who was watching his ship.
"I'm sorry," she whispered. "I'm so sorry, forgive me..."
"You did nothing wrong," the general said again, his voice hollow.
The guns of the Fremma fleet rolled out. The ships formed into a loose formation to be sure to do it all in one shot. Aria shivered in helpless horror, wanting... anything. To help, to stop them, to have words that could put an end to it, to press her head against Ryden's chest and have him cradle her until it was over. Anything to burn the hopelessness out of her.